FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 10, 2017
MEDIA RELEASE
Branson Fire Department Receives Improved ISO Rating Providing Benefit to Citizens
Branson, MO (April 10, 2017) – The City of Branson has received official notification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), Inc. that the Branson Fire Department has obtained a Class 3 Rating for its structural fire suppression delivery system, documenting a significant improvement from a Class 4 obtained in 1996.
The ISO rating plays an important role in the underwriting process and pricing structure used by insurance companies. ISO is the leading supplier of data and analytics for the property & casualty insurance industry. Most insurers use ISO’s Public Protection Classification (PPC) numbers for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
The Branson Fire Department participated in a PPC review in the fall of 2016. ISO competed the analysis of the fire departments structural fire suppression delivery system dependent upon several factors:
Fire flows which are representative of building locations used to determine the theoretical amount of water necessary for fire suppression purposes;
Water supply, including condition and maintenance of hydrants, alternative water supply operations, and a careful evaluation of the amount of water available compared to the amount needed to suppress fires up to 3,500 GPM;
Receiving and handling fire alarms including telephone systems, telephone lines, staffing and dispatching systems;
Fire Department including equipment, staffing, training, and geographic distribution of fire companies.
ISO analyzes the relevant data and assigns the PPC, a number ranging from 1-10. Class 1 represents an exemplary fire suppression program and Class 10 indicates that areas of the fire suppression program do not meet ISO’s minimum criteria defined by national standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and American Water Works Association.
Branson Fire Chief Ted Martin explained that the City’s firefighters were actively involved in the survey preparation, “They (Branson firefighers) exceeded national standard training requirements and helped prepare equipment, inventory, and documentation required by the PPC. I am very proud of their hard work and dedication to excellence in the fire-rescue services they provide to our residents and visitors.” The survey also required a partnership with the Utility Department and Emergency Communications Center managed by the Branson Police Department. “These departments contributed to the success of this improved rating for the City,” added Chief Martin.
Providing an adequate water supply for fire protection is just one critical factor. “The City has provided funding to improve the water systems serving several large neighborhoods including Branson North, Cantwell, Hideaway Hills, and the Cahill subdivisions. Additionally, new water lines have been installed in the 76 Revitalization project,” added Chief Martin.
The fire department earned perfect scores in categories including: Emergency Reporting (Enhanced 9-1-1, Computer Aided Dispatch and Geographic Information System), Pump Capacity of City of Branson fire engines, Firefighter Training Requirements, and Operational Considerations including Incident Management.
The Branson Fire Department focused on several benchmarks used for planning, budgeting and justifying fire protection improvements, important steps to achieve an improved ISO rating for the community with the objective to provide a PPC that may lower insurance rates paid by residents and businesses. “This rating really reflects the City of Branson’s dedication to public safety,” according to Chief Martin. “We worked hard to achieve this rating and, in order to improve this rating in the future, we will continue our improvement efforts with the goal to attain a rating of 2. We will need to focus on improving our ‘standard of cover and resource deployment’ which requires additional fire stations and personnel, and fire hydrant inspection and flow testing.”
“I am very excited to see this improved rating for our community and I have peace of mind knowing our City focuses on public safety. I am proud of our excellent fire department and its firefighters who are so committed to serving the needs of our community,” stated Branson Mayor Karen Best. “Plus, this improved rating may benefit our citizens by providing insurance cost savings for residential and commercial business insurance premiums.”
Branson’s new Public Protection Classification will go into effect May 1, 2017.
Follow Branson Fire Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BransonMOFireRescue and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BransonMOFire.
Media inquiries related to this content may be directed to Jennifer Langford, City of Branson Communications Manager at JLangford@BransonMO.gov or by calling 417.337.0017.
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About the City of Branson, Missouri: Located in Southwest Missouri, the City of Branson is committed to its citizens and to those who visit here, to ensure a safe and environmentally sound community. We will work as a team to maintain and promote the growth of our City, and to provide professional, courteous service to all through fair and open communication. We look to tomorrow, remembering yesterday, dedicated to excellence today.